The Manager of Iwatobi Swim Club
by may yuki
Summary: Matsuoka Gou has never been particularly close with the swim club members. It was her brother who spent the most time with them and knew them the best. They were friends, but she believed that becoming the manager would not change their relationship one bit. However, she soon realizes that there is more to the bond between them than just misunderstanding names. NO PAIRINGS!
1. Haru and the Pool

**This is what happens when you're surrounded by Free fans on the team…and you're a fan yourself ****ಠ****_****ಠ**

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A cool, light breeze is blowing across the Iwatobi High school campus, rustling the cherry blossoms surrounding swimming pool. The trees have just fully bloomed, sending soft, pink petals drifting away in the breeze. It is the perfect weather for swimming as the temperature has just started to warm up. And that is why Haruka Nanase, 17 years old, can be found standing atop the diving board instead of sitting in class like he should be. Though his face remains expressionless, his ocean blue eyes are glinting excitedly down at the water below him before they are raised determinedly to face the pool. Pulling down the goggles resting on top of his head, Haruka readies himself to dive, his toned muscles contracting as he poises himself over the water. Imagining a buzzer, he pushes off the diving board. He is now in the air, and there is a two second delay before he breaks through the water's surface. And then all at once, he is surrounded by water and its cool and gentle touch – he is once more free.

He streamlines for a few seconds before breaking into free-style, his arms moving in smooth, sure strokes and his legs kicking above the water at a rhythmic pace. As he starts to swim laps, he doesn't notice that he has a spectator. The maroon-haired girl is staring at Haru's smooth, glistening body with glittering russet-colored eyes, drool beginning to dribble down her chin. She watches as Haru takes a breath, his right arm coming out of the water, the muscles contracting smoothly before sinking below the surface. What gorgeous triceps and biceps!

She nearly squeals in glee, but manages to stifle her urges. Deciding that she will be able to observe him better if she was closer, she starts walking to the edge of the pool before squatting down and continuing to stare at Haru. Sensing a presence observing him, Haru glances out of the corner of his eyes to see Gou, but decides to ignore her since he is too enraptured with swimming to care. However, as she does not leave, he eventually decides to swim over to see what she wanted.

Coming to a stop before her, he takes his goggles off and shakes his head, flicking gleaming drops of water off of his lustrous black hair. As the water drips down his face and body, Kou can't help but feel excitement course through her body. The way the water is slowly trickling down his porcelain skin and shining from the sun makes him look like a model and she just wants to collapse on the ground and squeal right there. But she can't since she still has a job to do. Using every ounce of her willpower, she resists turning into a squealing, screaming pile of goo, but she still couldn't help the blush that blossoms across her cheeks.

"What are you doing here, Gou?" She twitches in annoyance, the blush fading away. She was sure that she had told all of them to call her Kou. Matsuoka Gou, the younger sister of Matsuoka Rin and a first year at Iwatobi High School, is the manager of the recently established club. Matsuoka Kou was a normal…kind-of-normal…teenage girl who enjoys hanging out with her friends and having fun.

She glares daggers at him. "I could ask you the same thing! You're ditching class aren't you?" She sucks in a deep breath before shouting, "And don't call me Gou! I already told you, it's Kou! Koooouuuu!"

He shakes his head again to get the water out of his eyes and once more light is shining wondrously upon his body and Kou almost faints right then and there. She can't have Haru thinking she's some perverted, hormonal teenaged girl that had only come to ogle at his body even though she is ogling him…but that wasn't the point!

Haru ignores the second part of her talk. "I'll be fine. But what about you? Aren't you ditching class too?"

And that is the reason why she is here, to get him back to class – not to ogle at him! But those triceps….! No! Gou shakes her head to clear her thoughts. "Ama-sensei told me to come out here to drag you back to class," she explains. "She says that she won't send you up to the principal this time, but she's not going to be so nice next time. That is why you better get back to class."

Haru sighs in exasperation as he holds onto the edge of the pool. "I thought she'd understand that I'm practicing for our future tournaments."

She gives him a deadpan stare. "You just want to be in the water, don't you, Haru-chan?"

Suddenly, he sinks down a bit until his chin is touching the water and looks up at her with half-lidded eyes. Her blush comes back full force. "W-what?"

The two engage in an awkward staring contest until Haru breaks the silence, closing his eyes. "Don't call me Haru-chan."

She is momentarily confused until she realizes what she had just said. Haru-chan. She had just called him Haru-chan! She turns away in embarrassment, her heart dropping into her stomach and her face turning a vivid red. She always called him Haru-senpai, but she should have known that Nagisa would eventually influence her to call him Haru-chan. Slowly, she turns back to face Haru, her face still burning red and her eyes refusing to look at his face. But it's not like she can look at his body without being reduced to a blabbering fool, so she forces herself to look at him. "O-oh! Sorry, Haru-senpai! It was a slip of the tongue. I've just been around Nagisa-kun for too long!" She continues babbling on and on before breaking into nervous laughter. And then awkward silence. Haru just continues staring at her stoically as she starts to fidget. _S-say something! _She mentally begs, feeling increasingly flustered.

He closes his eyes once again before replying, "Just don't call me Haru-chan again." His voice sounds almost petulant and she can't help but give a small smile. Gradually, her heartbeat slows back to normal and her blush starts to fade away once more.

Taking slow, deep, and calming breaths, she desperately tries to change the conversation. "So, when are you going to climb out of there and get back to class?"

He stares at her again and the awkward atmosphere returns. She rolls her eyes mentally. Trust Haru to be a conversation-killer. "I won't."

"What? Why?" she questions him, leaning forward in confusion. She never pegged Haru as the type of person to ditch class whenever he feels like it.

"I'd rather be out here in the pool," he continues, kicking off of the side of the pool and floating away from her.

"But-!" She cut herself off as she momentarily loses her balance. Pin wheeling her arms, she manages to catch herself before she plunged headfirst into the pool. She'd hate to walk around school, soaked to the bone and dripping water everywhere. Or worse, be accused of ditching class to swim with Haru. She'd never live that down. Clearing her throat, she regains her composure and looks at him in the eye.

"You don't want to get in trouble, do you?" She continues sternly.

"I told you. I'll be fine."

She glares at him before giving up, sighing in exasperation. She still doesn't know why she had volunteered to come out and attempt to bring Haru back to class. It's not like he'd listen to anyone. He doesn't even listen to Makoto and they had been friends for years! Her reasoning then was that since she's the manager of the swim club, it is her responsibility to bring him back. But now she isn't so sure. What kind of manager is she if she couldn't even handle one of the swim club members?

"Can't I do anything to get you back to class?" He swims back over to her and looks up to stare straight into her eyes, his mouth set into a thin line of concentration. She refuses to blush again and instead gives him what she hoped was the evil eye and not a hopeless stare. "What is it?"

Haru suddenly stands in the pool, redirecting his gaze to something behind her. Straightening up, she follows his gaze, but finds no one there. "There's no one- huh?" She yelps as something grabs onto her right wrist and she swiftly turns to see Haru's hand. _Wha-? _She lets out a stifled shriek of surprise when Haru abruptly yanks her into the pull headfirst.

Blinking chlorine out of her eyes and spluttering as she spit out a mouthful of water, Gou resurfaces gasping for air. Her hands are clenched into fists and her eyes are narrowed in anger as she glares icy daggers at Haru, every inch of her soaking wet. "What was that for!?" She shouts as she frustratingly pushes her hair out of her eyes only to have them fall back into place.

She didn't think she ever saw Haru smile before, but she swears that his lips had just twitched into a momentary smirk. "Swim with me for a bit and then I'll head back to class," he bargains. Her face burns furiously as she yells in frustration.

"What kind of logic is that?! You better hope I don't decide to climb out of here right now and get the principal!"

"You're still here, aren't you? Everyone needs to be free once in a while." he counters quietly, his arms crossed across his chest. She is left speechless. One, because Haru had just pulled her in the pool – during class hours mind you – just to swim with him; and two, because she's barely a foot away from him and he is half-naked, and glistening, and wet, and cool, and-and-and those triceps! She screamed internally as she blushes again. _That's a smirk! That is definitely a smirk!_ She screams internally as she covers her burning face.

He tilts his head in slight confusion then shrugs, leaving her there stunned as he swims away. The water is splashed intentionally into her face. She shakes her head, in an attempt to clear her head and clear some of the water lazily sliding down her face. She crosses her arms in bewilderment. She always knew that Haru isn't as aloof as he always seemed and that he definitely had a caring side to him, but did he really pull her in just to get her to swim? The usually quiet, water-loving, oblivious, and blunt Haru?

"You do know I'm not wearing swimming clothes, right?" she calls after him.

"So?" He nonchalantly asks as he finishes another lap. "Just take off the blazer. It's what's dragging you down."

"What the hell, Haru-senpai! School's still in session!" He ignores her this time. She throws up her arm in grief. "That's it! I'm gonna head to the office!" She begins to pull herself out of the pull before freezing in place as she feels his gaze on her back. Slowly, she lowers herself into the pool again, the water splashing out of the sides as she turns curiously to stare back. She frowns at the look in his eyes. It wasn't sad, or blaming, or anything at all really, but it makes her feel that if she left now she will definitely regret it. All of a sudden, she is reminded of a time back when everyone was still part of the same swim club and when they were all still kids just enjoying the feeling of being in the water without any concerns, rivalries, or worries. Sighing, knowing that she will regret it later anyway, and starts unbuttoning her blazer before tossing it on the edge of the pool. She stands there for a moment, her wet, white-collared shirt and gray skirt clinging to her skin uncomfortably, before she tentatively begins to paddle towards Haru.

There is a very small, brief smile sent her way and her heart warms in response. Suddenly, he starts to swim away before looking back at her. Bristling at the obvious challenge, Gou swims after him, but he still manages to stay way ahead of her the entire time. As time passed by, her uneasiness from skipping class starts to fade away and she gradually becomes relaxed. Turning onto her back to face the clouds and sun, she laughs in pure joy. The sky is so beautiful.

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**1 hour later…**

Gou is floating on her back next to Haru and they are both staring at the cherry blossoms surrounding the pool. A smile is playing on her lips when Haru suddenly speaks.

"What was that about forcing me to go back to class?"

She gasps and quickly sinks below the water as she loses her focus. Bursting out of the water, she gasps for breath as she frantically searches the area for any indication of how much time has passed. Her earlier uneasiness comes back with a vengeance. "Oh no! Is school already out?" She couldn't hear any students around.

Someone suddenly clears their throat and Gou freezes, her heart leaping up into her throat. Her heart is beating rapidly and she did not want to turn around – one look at Haru's slightly admonished expression tells her all she needs to know. Nervously turning, she is met with the sight of a very irritated Ama-sensei with Makoto, Rei, and Nagisa standing unsurely behind her. "So, when were you two planning to return to class exactly? After school ended?" She asks with a sickly, sweet tone. Gou understandably panics.

"Ama-sensei! I can explain!" she begins as she quickly pulls herself out of the pool. Water is dripping from her in what seemed to be bucketfuls as she stands in front of Ama-sensei in shame, her head lowered quietly. In her peripheral vision, she can see that Haru has also joined her. They are greeted with pure silence. Gou blinks in confusion. Where are the lectures, the philosophy talks, the sweetly evil threats? Looking up cautiously, she is confused when she sees Makoto and Nagisa covering their eyes. Turning to the side, she sees that Haru and Rei are both looking off into the distance. Only Ama-sensei is looking at her and she seems amused, but also extremely exasperated.

"What?"

No one answers her for a few seconds until Makoto speaks up in an oddly strangled tone of voice. "Your…shirt." He coughs in embarrassment. Realization dawns on her face as she glances down. Sure enough, the statement that white fabric becomes see-through when soaked is true. Her blouse is utterly transparent.

Letting out an inhuman shriek that probably the entire school heard, she dashes to grab her blazer before swiftly shrugging it on and buttoning it up. Forget what she said earlier about the worst thing that could happen to her is walking around campus wet or getting caught swimming with Haru – which she did, ironically enough...- this is the worst thing that can happen to her! Already she is blushing in embarrassment and her mood doesn't improve when Nagisa starts laughing.

"It's not funny, Nagisa!"

However, his laughter is contagious and eventually the rest of the club starts joining in. Even Ama-sensei and Rei. She stares at them all as if they're insane before her mouth tilts into a fond smile. Only these people could be so carefree. Soon, she begins to laugh along too as they all stand there by the edge of the pool. Anyone that walks by might think they are crazy, but she doesn't find herself caring. She might as well enjoy any fun times she can with the knuckleheads she called her friends.

To be free.

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**Once again, thank you to Kitsura E. for editing this for me :) she made this a billion times better. Trust me, she did. And let's get this outta the way. I don't support any pairings involving Gou/Kou so there will be no definite pairings. I'm just throwing in a few romantic hints, but nothing for sure since even the anime isn't complete yet ;) Chapter 2 will be Gou with Makoto. **

**See ya next time and review please!**

**-Lefty/Deli/Blanca (or May Yuki)**


	2. Makoto and the Kitten

**Let me reiterate. THERE WILL BE NO PAIRINGS. NONE. WHATSOEVER. ONLY HINTS. **

**And I'm going to assume the white kitten is male ._. Oh and remember to have some tissues lying around. Kitsura E. worked her magic on this chapter as well.**

**And SPOILER ALERT. IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED EPISODE 6, KINDLY LEAVE THIS CHAPTER UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE SPOILED. I WARNED YOU SO DON'T COME FOR MY HEAD**

**Anyways. Enjoy. ****ಠ****_****ಠ**

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The sky is clear and cloudless, allowing rays of sunshine to warm the small town of Iwatobi. Like miniature toys, white, fishing boats can be seen bobbing in the distance. A cool, salty breeze is blowing through the harbor and once in a while, cheerful exclamations and hellos can be heard as neighbors and fishermen exchange greetings. Such a day is what Tachibana Makoto encounters as he jogs to Haru's house, a gentle smile upon his face as he greets the people he passes. The refreshing breeze ruffles Makoto's golden-brown hair as he jogs past the harbor and his blue backpack bounces against his back with each step he takes. Spotting an elderly woman step out of her home with a basket hanging on her right arm, the teen's forest-green eyes brighten with joy and warmth.

"Good morning, Tamura-san!" He greets cheerfully, slowing down. The old woman looks up and her face crinkles with affection as she smiles and looks at Makoto with fond eyes.

"Good morning, Makoto-chan." She rifles through her basket, no doubt searching for the daily treat she usually gives to Makoto. "Here, take this with you." She offers, producing a small, wrapped package.

"Oh, thanks," The brunette gratefully accepts the package and gives the elderly woman a quick bow. "See ya around."

Straightening from his bow, Makoto is about to head off when Tamura's voice stops him in his tracks. "By the way, Makoto-chan, do you know a red-haired girl? She passed by here earlier, but I don't think I've seen her before though I must admit my memory isn't what it used to be."

"Red-haired girl?" Makoto furrows his eyebrows in thought. He knows only one red-haired girl.

Tamura nods. "Yes. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail and she was wearing the Iwatobi High School uniform. It's rare to see a new face around here so I thought that you might know her. She was heading towards Haru-chan's house."

Yep. It is definitely Matsuoka Gou…Kou. "Oh! I know her. She's one of my friends. She's a first-year, but she's also the manager of our swim club," he explains.

"Oh, is that right? Thank you for satisfying this old lady's curiosity, dear." She pats his arm. "Better head off now, I wouldn't want to keep you and make you late for school. Take care, Makoto-chan." She waves at Makoto as he jogs off again, giving Tamura a warm smile.

"Good-bye!" Makoto gives a back handed wave in return. He has just run the first few steps up the stairs to Haru's house when he slows to a stop, blinking in surprise at the sight before him. He is used to seeing the crumbling, stone steps and the weeds that sticks out from the cracks. The well-worn houses that line the steps and the clumps of grass that peeks out from the side of the stairs is also something he is used to seeing. What he rarely sees is the sight of any other people on the stairs except for Haru or one of the houses' residents. Kou is crouching on the stair steps, her back turned to Makoto.

Her brown, book bag is laid carelessly on the worn step next to her and she seems to be intently focusing on something. Tilting his head slightly in bewilderment, Makoto wonders if he should disturb her, but decides that he needs to pass her anyway. "Kou-chan!" He yells to get her attention and starts to walk up the stairs, mindful of the loose pebbles.

Kou visibly jumps, dropping the wilted, Burnet plant from her hands and shifting so that she can see who called her name. Makoto can now see the white kitten that was previously hidden from view. With a playful purr, the white kitten crouches back onto its haunches before leaping at the fallen plant and swatting it.

Kou tilts her head and blinks at Makoto as he stops a few steps away from her. "Makoto-senpai?" She questions. Standing up, she dusts herself as the kitten curls around her leg and purrs in content.

"Not to be rude, but what are you doing here?" Makoto asks in return, trying to find some shade against one of the house's shadow. It isn't hot, but the weather is already beginning to warm up. He is puzzled when Kou fidgets in embarrassment and hesitation.

"Oh…I was hoping to apologize to Haru-senpai for not getting him out of trouble last time. I should have gotten him out of the pool, but instead I joined him." She laughs nervously. "I was really lucky Ama-sensei took pity on me. Although, if Haru-senpai hadn't stood up for me after the incident I probably would have been punished along with him…" she trails off and crosses her arm with a frown.

Makoto chuckles in amusement. "It's okay, you don't have to. He's doesn't know how to accept sentiments from others very well, but I'm sure he knows how you feel. Besides, I don't think it's possible to separate Haru from the water for any period of time so it's not your fault. He didn't really mind his punishment." Seeing Gou's slightly unconvinced look, he pauses before sighing. "This is not the first time that he got in trouble for being in a body of water when he wasn't supposed to be. You'd laugh at the situations I got into when I wasn't watching him carefully enough," Makoto continues fondly. Kou parts her mouth in surprise. She admits she is slightly curious as to what situations can be more embarrassing than being caught swimming during class time.

Instead she asks, "Shouldn't we head to Haru-senpai's house now?"

Makoto glances at his watch. He and Kou are pretty early today and it is a nice day outside. They still have an ample amount of time. "It's okay, we still have a lot of time left before school starts."

Glancing down at the kitten, Makoto's eyes soften when he notices how close the kitten is to Kou. With a tender smile, he gestures at the kitten. "I see he's taken a liking to you." The kitten's wide, green eyes stare back at him before the kitten mewls in happiness and scampers down the stairs to Makoto.

Makoto gently picks up the kitten and cradles it in his arms as he strokes its head. It begins to purr with so much happiness that its entire body seems to be vibrating. Gazing at the kitten affectionately, Kou speaks up, "I saw him when I went to visit Haru-senpai last time. At first he didn't want to go near me, but I guess he got used to me. He's always hanging around here though, is he someone's pet or a stray?"

Makoto purses his lips in thought and leans against the left wall. "Haru-chan and I aren't sure either, but we see him here all the time. Sometimes I think he just sits here and waits for us…" A moment of silence passes between the two as they are lost in their thoughts before Makoto picks up the conversation. "So, how's being manager so far?"

In response, Kou huffs in a mixture of frustration and amusement and for a moment Makoto wonders if he asked the wrong question. "It's okay. It's not as hard to manage the club as trying to get Haru-senpai to listen to me. I mean….if he listened, he wouldn't have gotten into so much trouble with Ama-sensei and the principal." She pauses and collects her thought. She is hesitant to say more than that, wondering if it's really appropriate for her to vent out her frustrations to Makoto, especially when Haru is his friend.

Then again, he is the captain so maybe he can help her with some of the problems. Absently stroking the kitten in his arms, the brunette softly replies, "He doesn't really listen to anyone and it's not the first time he's gotten into trouble because of that." He seems to be lost in thought as if remembering something from the past. A cold breeze suddenly blows by, scattering dry leaves from the potted plants that lay on some houses' railing.

Kou shivers slightly from the cold. "I know…but that's not the only problem. Nagisa keeps calling me Gou-chan when I specifically tell him to call me Kou and Rei-kun is still so new to everything. We don't have much time until the prefecture tournament where we will have to compete against my brother's school and all the other top schools in the district," she vents, revealing more of her thoughts than she intended to. She realizes that she sounds a bit petulant, but sometimes she just gets so fed up, especially when she's trying to handle her schoolwork, her own life, her estranged brother, and the club all at the same time.

She closes her eyes for a moment to calm down and clear her mind. Nervously, she hopes that she did not make Makoto uncomfortable with her words.

Slowly opening her eyes, she bites her lips slightly as she sees Makoto looking sadly, but understandingly back at her. "I know. We still have some ways to go, but we'll do it together. That's why we all have to work hard to get everyone ready before the tournament." The look in his eyes is dead serious and she feels like she's missing something. She can see how important it is for him to be able to swim with everyone and to do well in the tournament, but there is also something unspoken in the air – something that makes her uneasy and a little concerned. She had noticed that Makoto had been acting oddly ever since their trip to the island about two weeks ago.

"And I'll try and get Nagisa to stop." Makoto adds firmly.

Realizing that that was one of the things she had accidentally let slip when she promised herself not to, she starts gesticulating madly with her arms. "O-oh! It's alright, you don't have to! I didn't mean to say that about Nagisa. I don't really mind him calling me Gou."

"Are you sure? I can talk to him if it bothers you. I'm not so sure about Haru though…" Makoto continues unsurely. Kou turns to lean against the same wall as Makoto. Her legs are beginning to tire from standing for so long, but she is careful not to knock over any potted plants or be anywhere near spider webs.

"Nah, it's fine." And surprisingly, she realizes that it really is fine. "He and Haru-senpai seem to march to the beat of their own drums so I doubt they'd listen to you even if you talked to them. Not that I think you can't or anything, but it's just who they are." Kou laughs lightly.

"If you say so." Kou smiles at him in reassurance and lowers her eyes to the kitten as it attempts to crawl out of Makoto's arms. It seems to have gotten restless. Makoto's mouth twitches in amusement. "You want to hold him?" He holds the kitten out to Kou and smiles as it leaps out of his arms into Kou's arms.

It mewls mischievously as it paws her arms and she laughs as she bends to pick up the fallen Burnet plant. The kitten immediately shoots out of her arms and twists to face her, its tail flicking back and forth. Playfully, she dangles the plant above the kitten's head as it tries to snatch it out of the air, letting out a disgruntled meow every time it misses.

"He's so cute!" She grins, not noticing Makoto's silence. Suddenly, the kitten stops pawing for the plant and freezes as if it suddenly sensed something. Turning back, the kitten scampered back to Makoto and paws at his pant leg, trying to latch itself on and climb up. Facing Makoto, Kou notices the forlorn on his face as he stares, unusually sullen, at the kitten. His arms are clenched a little tightly around the straps of his backpack. The uneasy feeling Kou has earlier suddenly comes back and slams into her gut.

She raises her hand to place it on Makoto's arm, but drops it. Instead, she hesitatingly calls out, "Makoto-senpai?" He turns to face her and she frowns at the blank look on his face. "Is there something wrong?"

"Huh?" He blinks before suddenly coming back to life. "O-oh! Don't worry, it's nothing important." Abruptly, he gestures for the plant in Gou's hand and she hands it to him, still a little uncertain.

Sitting down on the steps, he absently moves the plant to and fro before the kitten as it attempts to catch it once more, apparently satisfied with Makoto's renewed energy. For a moment, Makoto seems as if he is back to his normal self, but gazing into his forest-green eyes, Gou notices that they are darker and colder than they usually are. Her heart clenches tightly at the lost look in his eyes and the tightness of his mouth, as if his mind is reliving a dark memory while his body is still in the present. It is a look she never wants to see on Makoto's face ever again and she is determined to find the cause and abolish it.

Resolutely, she plants herself right next to Makoto on the steps and his dull, green eyes swivel over to her in surprise, his mouth slightly open. "Kou-chan?" He can see a faint blush on her cheeks and is unsure of her sudden actions and demeanor. He doesn't recall saying anything insulting or embarrassing. The kitten mewls slightly in protest at Makoto's stillness, but eventually decides to curl up at Makoto's feet when it sees no sign of attention.

Kou stares straight ahead and leans forward, placing her arms on her knees. She is used to her brother's sudden bouts of moodiness and knows not to stare at someone in the eye when they are feeling insecure or threatened. Taking a deep breath, she lets it out in a whoosh of air before speaking, "Makoto-senpai, as manager of the swim club, I have the right to know if anyone on the team is troubled by something, including you. Besides, it's not good to bottle up your emotions." She gives Makoto a moment to absorb her words before she hesitantly reaches out and grabs Makoto's hand, which is laying limply on the ground by his side. "…I…know that all of us have our own secrets, but I also know that sometimes it helps to tell someone that secret so that we don't feel so overwhelmed with it. I can tell something is really bothering you and eating you up on the inside. And…"

Kou pauses and purses her lips in uncertainty. She is unsure of how close she really is to Makoto and doesn't want to overstep her boundaries. But…she knows that if she doesn't at least try to do something to help Makoto she'll regret it for the rest of her life.

With a sudden burst of energy she abruptly turns her body to the side to face Makoto and searchingly stares into his startled eyes as he leans back. His gasp of surprise is unheard as Kou shouts, "And even if I wasn't the manager, I would still like to know about your problems as your friend!" She gazes intently into his eyes, willing him to understand and her following words are noticeably softer. "Please don't hide things from us…especially if it's something you can talk to us about…" She whispers. She really hopes that she hasn't offended Makoto.

Slowly, Makoto straightens up and lowers his gaze to the house right in front of the stair steps. Somewhere beyond it is the ocean – dark, mysterious, and dangerous. He knows that Kou is waiting for him to reply, for some assurance that he is okay, but he doesn't even know what to say. He didn't have many female friends growing up, but he knows enough that girls generally didn't take being brushed off or being ignored well. But his fear of the ocean is something he doesn't want to talk about, but does want to talk about. He didn't want anyone else other than Haru to know…but deep down he wanted to share his thoughts with the others, to know that they wouldn't think any differently about him. Breaking slightly into cold sweat, he clears his throat uncomfortably as he tries to organize his thoughts. The others already know. _Should he_ tell her, then…?

"Makoto-senpai…?" Kou softly questions. However, Makoto is so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even hear her. The world suddenly seems to melt away – the chirps of the bird becoming silenced, the distant chatter of people disappearing, and the rays of the sun vanishing until he doesn't feel anything but cold and numb as if he is suddenly doused with icy water. He is abruptly bombarded with memories from the past and Kou jumps when Makoto suddenly stiffens and squeezes her hand. She opens her mouth to say something, but closes it as she worriedly watches the emotions flickering in Makoto's expressive eyes. Suddenly, she is slightly dubious if it is right to try to get Makoto to talk.

Meanwhile, Makoto is oblivious to Kou's turmoil as he is immersed in his own. Events are flashing by his mind so quickly that he feels disoriented and nauseous.

The long, somber line of people dressed in white shuffling to an unknown location, their faces twisted with tears and grief and their shadows drifting over him like a scythe.

The uneasiness and terror he feels as he clutches Haru's hand as the two try to make sense of what is happening.

His parents reading an innocent-looking letter at the dinner table before his mother's face suddenly crumples in despair and his father's face smoothing into a solemn, pained mask.

Him picking up the letter and the pain he feels as his heart constricts with confusion and sadness, being able to understand what black print is saying but denying the truth.

Makoto's memories begin to slow as the years pass, narrowing into one of the most terrifying events of his life so far. He remembers the river, churning and flowing like a predator after its prey. The air was cold and a strong wind was blowing, definitely not a time for swimming. Haru was standing near the river bank and Aki was leaning over the bridge's railing, shouting something. And then all of a sudden Haru stumbled and tumbled downhill before falling into the river without even a splash, completely disappearing under water. He isn't quite sure what happened between then and pulling Haru out of the water with Rin. All he can remember is Haru's deathly pale face and his flushed cheeks, his chest barely moving as he shook him and cried out his name over and over without a response. Even though it was momentarily, he had really thought that Haru had died that day just like…

A warm and grandfatherly smile envelops his mind before being consumed with roaring water.

Just like Rei…

"Makoto-senpai!" With a startled jump, Makoto gasps in surprise, his heart beating a mile a minute. A minute or two passes before he is calm and aware of his surroundings again. He glances down at the sleeping kitten by his feet in slight puzzlement. Why is his eyesight so blurry? "Senpai." He turns to face Kou and is concerned when he sees her worried and frightened eyes. He is about to say something when she speaks up again. "Are you…alright? Y-you're crying." She sounds horrified and Makoto reaches up to touch his face, bewildered to feel wetness. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have tried to force you to say anything. You don't have to tell me. I must have really brought up a bad memory." She splutters in panic. "Um, I mean…"

Makoto hurriedly wipes his eyes with the sleeve of his blazer, mortified at being caught crying. But somehow, he finds the situation funny, especially because of Kou's flustered demeanor and he shows his amusement with a short laugh, successfully silencing Kou's rapid-fire apologies.

"It's okay, Kou-chan. I'm alright." And surprisingly, he realizes that he really is fine. "I just got caught up in my thoughts. I didn't mean to worry you." He smiles at her nonplussed expression, no doubt bewildered with Makoto's shift in mood. His smile widens as he realizes her genuine concern, warmth filling his very being.

"Still, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you…" She blushes when she realizes that her hand is still entwined with Makoto's and abruptly releases his hand. She fidgets awkwardly, but stills when Makoto speaks up.

"You don't have to apologize. Besides, you're right, I shouldn't hide things from my friends." Kou blushes at his words. "It's only fair I tell you since I already told the others."

"What? When?" The 'Why not me?' remains unspoken as Kou shouts indignantly.

"Sorry, I never found the chance to tell you. I told the others under…very extreme…circumstances."

Kou's eyebrows are arched in surprise as she watches Makoto fidget nervously. "….Maybe you should start from the beginning."

Makoto chuckles as he glances at his watch. Surprisingly, only about ten minutes has passed by even though it feels longer. "Yeah, that would be the best place to start, huh?" His smile fades at the upcoming topic. "Thank you for listening to me." Makoto mumbles, rubbing his neck in embarrassment. He feels a little cheesy.

Kou smiles at him encouragingly. "No problem."

The two fall into a comfortable silence before Makoto sighs and slumps his shoulders. Gently picking up the kitten by his feet he cradles it in his arms and begins, "I…I was in 5th grade when it happened. There was a small fishing harbor in the next town that I used to visit with Haru when I was little. There was a kind, old fisherman I used to know who'd play with me when he had the chance. He was like a grandfather to me." Makoto smiles fondly. "Sometimes, when I visited him, he'd have his cat with him and he'd let me play with her all the time."

Makoto pauses and looks down at the kitten in his lap, stroking its back affectionately. "And his cat gave birth to this little one here." Kou's eyes widen in surprise, but she keeps silent when she sees Makoto's face darken. She knows that she is not going to like what she hears next. "One summer…there was a big typhoon and a fishing boat sank about 3 km from the harbor. He was on it." Kou gasps in horror, but Makoto still continues, unwilling to stop once he started. "Many of the people on board drowned, and the fisherman wasn't one of the survivors. I wasn't so much scared as I was terrified. Ever since then, I've been scared of the ocean, especially when Haru…" He pauses before shaking his head. "Sorry, it's not my story to tell…but I've always been fighting against the water. To me, it feels like there's something unknown lurking within it, waiting for when you're most unaware to swallow you whole."

A stunned silence ensues and Kou isn't sure what to say. She is overwhelmed with the information she has just heard, but is pleased that Makoto trusts her enough to tell her.

Makoto sighs, "I hope I haven't depressed you or anything."

"Oh! No, you didn't, don't worry. I was just thinking about what you said…" And there is something nagging on the corner of her mind. "By the way, what did you mean when you told the others under extreme circumstances?" She narrows her eyes at Makoto's guilty glances.

"Um…well…w-when we were training on the island a few weeks ago, Rei almost drowned our first night there." Makoto decides to just blurt everything out before he can get yelled at. "He went swimming at night because he wanted to improve, but if you remember, there was a really bad storm that night and he lost his board once the storm hit. It was by chance that I woke up and realized he was gone and I went after him."

"What!?" Kou screams, her shout echoing down the empty stairway and she hunches in embarrassment, expecting to get yelled at by one of the people living in the houses nearby. When no one appears, Kou scowls and glares at Makoto. "Continue."

Makoto gulps. "Well…as I was about to reach him, I froze up because the situation reminded me of events that happened in the past. I couldn't move at all…" He frowns. "I was lucky that Haru and Nagisa woke up and came after us, but we weren't able to make it back to shore and ended up stranded on the island across from the one we were staying at. There, we managed to find an abandoned light house and stayed there for the night. I told them most of what I told you there when we were trying to keep ourselves occupied. Then, you and Ama-sensei found us in the morning after we returned and you know the rest. That was one creepy light house though…" Makoto mutters the last sentence under his breath. He flinches when Kou clears her throat.

"And none of you ever decided to tell me or Ama-sensei? What if you guys didn't manage to make it to that island? What if one of you had-" She cuts off abruptly, not wanting to finish the sentence. Kou is frustrated that something so dangerous happened while she remained obliviously unaware. She can't even bear to think how she would react if they weren't as fortunate that night. "Makoto-senpai." Makoto looks nervously at her and she forces herself to remain calm. "Promise me that if anything dangerous like that ever happens again – which I hope will never happen again – tell me or Ama-sensei. I think we deserve the right to know especially since we're supposed to watch over you guys. We need to be able to prevent things like this from happening. I won't tell Ama-sensei this time since you guys obviously didn't want anyone to know but…" Kou fists her hand into her skirt with a frown, but jumps when Makoto pats her hand.

Makoto smiles understandingly at her, his eyes warm once more and no longer dark and cold, "Sorry…I can't change what happened and I don't regret my actions, but I promise."

And that is enough for Kou. Then, she remembers something, "What happened to the kitten's mother though?" She gestures at the kitten sleeping contentedly in Makoto's arms. She watches as it blinks open a lazy eye before twisting around and staring hungrily at two sparrows hopping along the stone wall.

"The fisherman lived by himself so there was no one to take care of her. Haru and I ended up smuggling the cat home with us, but when our parents found out, they made us get rid of her. Luckily, Tamura-san, the old lady that lives in that house," he pointed to the house in front of the stairway, "took her in. I don't think the fisherman's cat ever got over his death though."

"What do you mean?"

"They do say that pets often know when their owners die and often feel pain because of it. For a while, the cat moped around. She wasn't as energetic as she used to be and ended up dying a few years ago, a few weeks after giving birth to the little one right here." Makoto smiles sadly at the kitten.

Kou starts to tear up at the tragic story, but wills herself not to cry. She didn't want to worry Makoto. Sniffling, she whispers, "So then…the kitten comes here because it remembers you and Haru-senpai?"

A gentle and affectionate smile spreads across Makoto's face making him seem several years younger. Giving a sharp intake of breath, Kou stares at Makoto in wonder. Though Makoto often smiles, she has rarely seen such an open and honest look on his face. The breeze suddenly blows by, ruffling Kou's and Makoto's hair, and Kou can't help but feel that she has just witnessed something important.

"Yeah…after his mother's death, the little one often followed us around. Sometimes, Haru would take him in when his parents aren't home. Eventually though, it figured out that it couldn't be with us all the time and decided to stay here waiting for us every day."

Kou sits in silence as she absorbs what she heard. It is a beautiful, but tragic story so she isn't quite sure what to say. "So that's why…" She jolts in shock when she realizes something else. "Wait. Makoto-senpai...if you're afraid of the water, why'd you help create the swim club?"

The answer is simple. "I want to swim with everyone. As long as I can swim with Haru-chan, Nagisa, and Rei, I'll be fine," he answers truthfully with a smile. Kou stares at him, surprised by his courage. She no longer feels like she's missing something important about Makoto and with a wide grin, she nudges Makoto's shoulder in support.

"_And you have me too, Makoto-senpai,"_ she thinks to herself, not daring to say it aloud.

The two stiffen when they hear footsteps coming down the stairs, and in unison they turn to see Haru slowing to a stop before staring at them with his eyes slightly narrowed in confusion.

Being his usual blunt self, he turns to face Kou, "What are you doing here, Gou?" Perking its ears, the kitten in Makoto's lap lets out a mewl of excitement before leaping out of his arms and bounding over to Haru. With a small, indulgent smile, he crouches down and rubs the kitten's head, his eyes softening greatly from his usual deadpan stare.

Kou is shocked by Haru's expression, never having seen him give an open smile before. _I sort of feel like I'm intruding…_ Kou thinks. Maybe she didn't know Haru that well either…then her mind catches up with what she heard earlier.

Pouting, Kou stands up abruptly, startling the other two teens. "I told you! It's Kou! KOOUUUUU!" Her demand goes ignored and she is wary of the strange look Haru is giving her. "What?"

"You're – um – well…" Makoto gestures to her closeness and belatedly she realizes that she is wearing a skirt and Makoto is sitting down right next to her. Realizing the implications, she swiftly steps back as Makoto jumps to his feet, the both of them blushing madly. Makoto coughs awkwardly into his fisted hand.

_I've been blushing a lot lately. _Kou grumbles internally as she forces herself to cool down. _It has something to do with these guys_…She sighs internally.

Ignoring the pair's awkward interaction, he continues playing with the kitten. "So, what were you doing here, Gou?"

With an exasperated groan, she gives up on correcting him. A part of her wonders whether Haru deserves her apology. "I wanted to apologize for getting you in trouble last time."

True to Makoto's words earlier, Haru shrugs uncomfortably before brushing the incident off. "It's fine. I just had detention for one day. Besides, I think you were the one more bothered with what happened." She isn't sure if Haru is doing it on purpose or not, but she knows he is talking about how she got embarrassed in front of a teacher and four guys.

"Hey! That was because _you_ pulled me into the pool when I clearly told you to get out and get back to class. I was doing my job as the manger," she growls at him.

"Well you didn't do a very good job." On purpose or just being his blunt self, Kou does not know, but she finds Haru's comments infuriating. She can just see him laughing monotonously at her, which is disturbing.

"What? How dare you! I was trying to get you out of the pool and the next thing you know, I'm in the pool!" She gives him a withering glare as Haru stares back silently. "And that was _your_ fault."

"Guys, guys, calm down," Makoto attempts, but gets brutally ignored. The white kitten had postured itself into an indignant ball by the wall, not enjoying the agitated atmosphere as Kou grows more irritated, Haru more blunt, and Makoto more flustered.

As the pair continues their argument, Makoto can't help but smile and the two turn to him with confused gazes when he starts to laugh.

He knows that he will always have his friends by his side. And as long as he still has his friends with him, he can persevere.

Always.

**After school, later that day…**

The sun is starting to set, the sky turning into a myriad of pink and orange. Lamplights are starting to turn on in the streets and the joyful chatter of students is prominent. Many groups are heading off in different directions, either on their way home or to the arcade or restaurants. Makoto has just passed the wrought-iron gates of the school with Haru by his side when he hears a shout.

"Waiiiiiit!" The pair stops, turning around to see Kou sprinting towards them. She stops, quickly gasping for breath. "C-can I walk with you guys?"

Makoto and Haru glance at each other in bewilderment and Makoto turns back to Kou to ask, "Won't your parents be worried if you come home late? We don't live that near each other."

"It's okay. My parents aren't home right now and I wanted to walk with you guys." She fidgets uncertainly and looks up at them with slight hesitation. "If that's alright with you guys."

"Fine with me," Haru says, walking ahead of them and turning in the direction opposite of his house. "I need to buy more mackerel. You guys head home first." Makoto gapes at Haru's retreating back. What is he talking about? His refrigerator is still filled with _those fish_.Dread suddenly fills his stomach. No way…Haru couldn't be trying to play match-maker…is he? He didn't think Haru knows what romance is.

Kou tilts her head in puzzlement at Makoto's narrowed eyes. She isn't sure what is so strange about Haru needing to buy more mackerel, after all, he loves them.

With a soft sigh, Makoto straightens up before beaming at Kou. "Well, let's go then, Kou-chan."

Kou smiles, oblivious to Makoto's confusion as she falls in step with him.

Walking with Makoto beneath the setting sun, she can't help but feel as if this was the beginning of something new. She realizes that there is more to her friendship with the swim team than just their misleading names. They are _a team_ – No – _a family_. And she'd be damned if she lets anything happen to them.

* * *

**Before you reviewers go AWWWW THEY'RE A COUPLE NOWWWWW OMGGGG, let me tell you. THEY. ARE. NOT. A. COUPLE. I know I hinted at it, but think about it. I hinted Haru and Kou being a couple, but they aren't so Makoto and Kou ARE. NOT. A. COUPLE. **

**This fanfic is a FRIENDSHIP fanfic, focusing more on Kou bonding with the teammates of the swim team. If you don't enjoy the fact that I didn't listen to your "Makes this a Makoto and Kou pairing fic" request, then please kindly look for other fanfiction. I can't please everyone.**

**So…Kitsura E. may have just given me more plot bunnies in this line…**

_You'd laugh at the situations I__got into when I wasn't watching him carefully enough __**(can I say plot bunny? xD)**__. _**But we'll see…**

**Ok, see ya next time. Chapter 3 will be featuring Nagisa :D**


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